Human Rights body seeks action report on 'lathi charge' on BJP leaders in Patna

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken cognisance of the lathi and baton charges on Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders in Patna. One BJP leader was killed as Patna Police lathi-charged those protesting against the Bihar administration on July 13 in connection with a government order on posting of teachers in the state.

Now, the human rights body has taken note of a complaint received from the BJP chief in Bihar, Samrat Choudhary, and sought an action report from the chief secretary of the Bihar government. It has asked the administration to file a reply within a span of four weeks to avoid "coercive steps" by the Commission.

NHRC stated that the BJP has alleged that "a peaceful protest was allegedly dismantled and provoked by the State Administration of Patna".

"Senior leaders of the party, including female workers, were beaten by the police, causing serious injuries. It is also alleged that no FIR has been lodged by the police after the said incident," NHRC quoted Choudhary's complaint.

At the time of the alleged action on BJP leaders, BJP chief JP Nadda took to X, formerly Twitter, saying, "The lathi-charge on BJP workers in Patna is a result of the failure and incompetence of the state government."

The Bihar government is attacking democracy in order to protect the fortress of corruption, Nadda had said.

BJP leader Sushil Modi also condemned Bihar CM Nitish Kumar over his party leader’s death.

“It is so unfortunate that one of our party workers died due to a lathi charge by the police. He died on the way to the hospital. We will lodge murder charges against the police. Nitish Kumar is responsible for all this,” Former Bihar Deputy CM Sushil Modi was quoted as saying by ANI.